Health literacy, functioning, and tinnitus perception: an analysis in Brazilian primary health care
1
Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, São Paulo State University, Marília, Brazil
2
Graduate Program in Health Sciences and Human Communication, São Paulo State University, Marília, Brazil
3
Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
4
Graduate Program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Tinnitus is a prevalent hearing and public health condition with significant impacts on quality of life, requiring a comprehensive primary care approach that considers functioning and health literacy1-2. This study analyzed the association between health literacy, functioning, and tinnitus perception among primary care users.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study included 290 participants with 18 years or older and tinnitus complaint, recruited from 12 Primary Care Units in a large Brazilian city and was approved by the institution Ethics Committee. Data collection included a characterization questionnaire, the Brazilian Economic Classification Criterion, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, and the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults. Data were analyzed using descriptive and factor analyses, as well as Structural Equation Modeling.
RESULTS:
The sample comprised 290 individuals (mean age 53.69 ± 14.25 years), predominantly female (65.86%), White (44.14%), from socioeconomic class C2 (51.72%), with a high prevalence of hearing difficulty and chronic diseases (69.31%), continuous medication use (86.21%), previous COVID-19 diagnosis (65.17%), mild tinnitus-related impairment (71.03%), and inadequate health literacy (89.31%). In the Structural Equation Modeling, sociodemographic aspects were strongly determined by White race/ethnicity (λ = 0.879; p < 0.001) and Biracial (λ = −0.892; p < 0.001). Health conditions showed significant associations with chronic disease (λ = 0.217; p = 0.017; R² = 4.7%) and hearing complaints (λ = −0.442; p = 0.013; R² = 19.5%). A positive association was observed between tinnitus perception and social participation (β = 0.396; p < 0.001; R² = 3.6%), as well as an effect of health conditions on tinnitus perception (β = 0.325; p = 0.042; R² = 11.6%).
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings indicate that the effect of tinnitus is associated with general health conditions and negatively affects social participation, reinforcing a biopsychosocial understanding of the phenomenon.
Tinnitus is a prevalent hearing and public health condition with significant impacts on quality of life, requiring a comprehensive primary care approach that considers functioning and health literacy1-2. This study analyzed the association between health literacy, functioning, and tinnitus perception among primary care users.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study included 290 participants with 18 years or older and tinnitus complaint, recruited from 12 Primary Care Units in a large Brazilian city and was approved by the institution Ethics Committee. Data collection included a characterization questionnaire, the Brazilian Economic Classification Criterion, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, and the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults. Data were analyzed using descriptive and factor analyses, as well as Structural Equation Modeling.
RESULTS:
The sample comprised 290 individuals (mean age 53.69 ± 14.25 years), predominantly female (65.86%), White (44.14%), from socioeconomic class C2 (51.72%), with a high prevalence of hearing difficulty and chronic diseases (69.31%), continuous medication use (86.21%), previous COVID-19 diagnosis (65.17%), mild tinnitus-related impairment (71.03%), and inadequate health literacy (89.31%). In the Structural Equation Modeling, sociodemographic aspects were strongly determined by White race/ethnicity (λ = 0.879; p < 0.001) and Biracial (λ = −0.892; p < 0.001). Health conditions showed significant associations with chronic disease (λ = 0.217; p = 0.017; R² = 4.7%) and hearing complaints (λ = −0.442; p = 0.013; R² = 19.5%). A positive association was observed between tinnitus perception and social participation (β = 0.396; p < 0.001; R² = 3.6%), as well as an effect of health conditions on tinnitus perception (β = 0.325; p = 0.042; R² = 11.6%).
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings indicate that the effect of tinnitus is associated with general health conditions and negatively affects social participation, reinforcing a biopsychosocial understanding of the phenomenon.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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